Package



April 27; 1937. L. E. SCHLEBER PACKAGE Filed Nov. 27, 1935 INVENTOR 001; ScHebnr BY HIS ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFlCE 2,078,735 PACKAGE Application November 27, 1935, Serial No. 51,792

4 Claims.

This invention relates to packages, and more particularly to cigarette or similar packages wherein the contents are removed'from time to time in part only and not returned to the pack- .3 age.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved means for retaining remaining contents of a package in proper position within the package; to maintain such a package in its origi- 1o nal shape. or substantially so, until all contents have ultimately been removed; to provide such an improved means which can be inserted by the manufacturer and/or user and of a nature that it may and will be discarded with the otherwise is empty container; to provide such a means which will have an advertising value; to render extraction of the articles in the package convenient at all times; to incorporate matches and a match-striking surface in such an article; to pro- 20 vide a double function to the part bearing the match-striking material; to enable the device to be .of unitary construction; to permit utilization of readily available material, such as card-board or the like; to secure simplicity of construction 35 and operation; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate simi- 3U lar parts throughout the several views;

Figure l is a perspective view of a cigarette package, broken open for use, some of the cigarettes =used and my invention applied therein substantially in seated position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one form of unitary structure constituting my invention, the same being shown somewhat larger than the scale of theshowing in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a face View of the structure of 10 Fig. 2, showing the same in substantially flat condition; and,

Figure 4 is a top or plan of a cigarette package opened for use, with my invention applied therein between tiers of cigarettes.

. 5 In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral indicates an oblong package of paper or the like, such as in prevalent use for. containing a plurality of cigarettes ll arranged up 50 right therein in parallel relation to each otherand, as here shown, in Hers of three. It is the general practice of the trade to thus package and sell cigarettes, and likewise usual to construct the packages of paper, as a result of which the package crushes readily and becomes mis-shapen after a few of the cigarettes are removed and the package carried in the pocket. It is also common amongst users, to tear away part; of one end l2 of the package to expose the ends of the cigarettes for extracting one at a time by 5 pulling the cigarette longitudinally of itself out of the torn-away part or opening I3.

According to the present invention, I provide a unitary structure Id of appropriate length and height of moderately springy or resilient mate- 10 rial. such as card-board or the like, which is accordion pleated in use to provide a plurality of integral panels [5 of substantially the face area of the wall of the package next which a tier of the cigarettes originally rested. That face of the package is identified by numeral l6, and it will be seen to be a face of the package normal to the end H which is torn open, also normal to the larger, or what'may be termed front face ll of the package and is also a face parallel to the several tiers of cigarettes as above described. By virtue of the accordion pleating of the unitary structure, and size of the resultant panels, the folded unit may be inserted in the cigarette package after removal of one tier of 5 the cigarettes. Then as further cigarettes are removed, the resilience of the unit tends to open the unit, like a bellows, and fill the increased space otherwise .left in the package. The cigarettes will therefore be retained, no matter how few in number, in upright parallel position, and the presence of the accordion unit will maintain the entire package in substantially its orignal oblong shape until all of the contents are gone and the package is discarded. It is intended that the accordion unit be likewise discarded, and that a fresh one be employed for the next package of cigarettes purchased by the user.

I wish to particularly call attention to the fact that the effective height of the unit next to the cigarettes, is preferably a little less than the height of the cigarettes, thereby enabling the user to more readily get a finger hold upon a cigarette to be extracted from the package. In Fig. 1, the accordion unit is not slid entirely home. It is furthermore to be observed that it is not obligatory to insert the unit immediately next to the end wall I6 of the package, asshown in Fig. 1, but it may be inserted between tiers 60 of the cigarettes as shown in Fig. 4.

It is preferable in manufacture to score the card blank comprising unit l4, alternately on opposite sides or faces thereof, so that score lines I 8 parallel to each other appear on one side ofthe blank, and on the other side of the blank are other scorings l9 parallel to each other and to the first mentioned scorings and spaced from the first mentioned scorings a panel width each. This will permit the blank to be distributed to the ultimate users substantially fiat or sufiiciently unfolded so the unit will not become set or lose its resilient expansive property through climatic or other conditions. The value of the unit is enhanced in distributing substantially flat, for in that condition advertising 20 thereon will come to the attention of the user at least while folding the unit.

The structure herein shown likewise contemplates the furnishing of matches 2| and match scratch surface 22 as part of the unit for handy insertion in and maintenance in association with the package. This feature as specifically shown herein for illustrative purposes,'will now be described, but it is to be understood not restrictive of the invention in selecting this particular association of parts as theone to be shown and described. Thus it may be convenient, as shown, to extend and slit the end panelfor making the match stems, these to be bent into fiatwise contiguous relation to the panel upon either side thereof as the user may elect. The scratch surface 22 may be provided upon another extension 23 at the upper end of one or more panels, preferably middle ones, so the extension will not be in the way of getting hold of the cigarettes. Said extension 23 is of such height preferably as to make the complete height of the unit including the section no more than theheight of the package in which used. By having the extension projecting from the entire width of two adjacent panels and partly from the next two adjacent panels as shown; the extension will be adequately re-enforced so as not to easily bend under the exertion of pressure of a match being lighted thereagainst. The extension being atthe middle of the unit, as shown, serves as a convenient lifting tab for pulling the unit out .far enough to tear on" a match when desired.

While the invention is disclosed as to one lines lengthwise of the height to provide a plurality of accordion panels inherently tending to unfold when folded and adapted to be placed in a package for holding the contents of the package positioned.

2- An accessory for packages of cigarettes, comprising a unit of a height substantially the length of the cigarettes folded on lines lengthwise of the height and inherently expansible from folded condition to an unfolded condition, said unit being insertable when folded into a cigarette package from which a tier of the cigarettes has been removed displacing the ones so removed and maintaining the ones still in the package in their original grouping.

3. An accessory for packages of articles according to claim 1 wherein said unit comprises a strip of material of the character of card-board, said strip having greater length than height and having a plurality of scorings on one side thereof predetermining the said fold line and for assisting in folding of the strip into accordion condition.

4. An accessory for packages of cigarettes,

comprising an accordion-like unit providing a plurality of panels, said unit having a plurality of matches formed integrally therewith in extension of a panel and having a scratch surface in extension of another panel for lighting said.

matches. LOUIS E. SCI-ILEBER.

elongated 

